Connecting with Allah: A Treasury of Poems - Hard Cover

Title: Connecting with Allah: A Treasury of Poems - Hard Cover
Author: Mona Zac / illustration by Neamah Aslam
ISBN: 9781739659707
Publisher: Zac and Aslam (UK)
Ages: 10+

Read in the warmth of someone’s lap,

Or as a family affair,

These gentle rhymes will soothe your heart,

Whilst making you aware,

Of your Lord, with names so beautiful,

You should learn them with care,

So you love Him, know Him, ask of Him,

And you bloom with every prayer.

Keep connecting with Allah.

Always and everywhere,

In the different seasons of your life,

Know with certainty, He’s there.

Connecting with Allah is a treasury of 50 poems on Allah swt’s names and attributes.

Perfect for reading aloud and sharing with all the family, these poems – together with sources from the Qur'an and hadith – serve as a starting point for discussions on who Allah is and how to draw nearer to Him in love and worship.

Similar to Call Me By My Name, this book stands out in highlighting the Names of Allah swt. In this collection it is the descriptive poetry, warm illustrations, urge to reflect and act, and space to think through and write up your own du’as that make this book so versatile. I can see a middle grade to middle schooler using the book almost like a journal, just as easily as I can see an Islam teacher using the book to teach the names of Allah and have their students ponder and write their own verses. I plan to use it with my own children when we gather up for salat-waiting for everyone to make wudu- to read a poem, discuss, and understand each name on whatever level the child is at thus bring the names of Allah swt, into our daily awareness, inshaAllah.

The book is divided into sections following a heading and seasonal imagery: Loving Allah, Asking Allah, Knowing Allah, and Blooming with Allah’s names. The table of contents is out of order, but it isn’t an issue. Poems are given a two page spread, some poems are one name, others are two. At the end of each poem is a “Reflect and Act” section with bulleted items to help connect the name and the poem’s content with one’s own life and Islamic principles.

At the end of each section are two pages to write your own du’as using Allah’s names followed by Sources from the Qur’an and Hadith. The illustrations are adorable to look at, and while on first glance the collection might seem more female appealing, I think boys and girls alike will benefit from time spent with the book and not find it targeting to only one gender.

The Asking Allah section features easy to read Arabic with harakat and even the English font is very appealing and easy to read.